Fredfort International School
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Fredfort International School
Hello,
I have an interview at Fredfort International School and am somewhat wary given that they seem to be advertising for new staff all the time, and the HR department was very quick to respond to my CV. Is it a good/reputable school or one that I should steer clear of? I'm reasonably new to Phnom Penh and would welcome any feedback or advice.
Thanks
I have an interview at Fredfort International School and am somewhat wary given that they seem to be advertising for new staff all the time, and the HR department was very quick to respond to my CV. Is it a good/reputable school or one that I should steer clear of? I'm reasonably new to Phnom Penh and would welcome any feedback or advice.
Thanks
I worked there for all of 3 weeks and let's just say I didn't particularly like it but everyone is different. There was someone who had worked there for over a year and she didn't mind the place.
I should've known something was up when; during my interview there were kids who ran into the room, ran right around the desk and the director didn't bat an eyelid! It was only afterwards I realised this was during lesson time as well.....
As I only worked there 3 weeks, I didn't get paid but other staff told me there were often problems with pay eg getting paid late, having money deducted but never really sure why etc, but like I say, I never actually got paid myself so cannot verify this.
As above though, each to their own, you might really enjoy it!
What position was it for, may I ask?
I should've known something was up when; during my interview there were kids who ran into the room, ran right around the desk and the director didn't bat an eyelid! It was only afterwards I realised this was during lesson time as well.....
As I only worked there 3 weeks, I didn't get paid but other staff told me there were often problems with pay eg getting paid late, having money deducted but never really sure why etc, but like I say, I never actually got paid myself so cannot verify this.
As above though, each to their own, you might really enjoy it!
What position was it for, may I ask?
- vladimir
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I have no comment.mactier101 wrote:Hello,
I have an interview at Fredfort International School and am somewhat wary given that they seem to be advertising for new staff all the time, and the HR department was very quick to respond to my CV. Is it a good/reputable school or one that I should steer clear of? I'm reasonably new to Phnom Penh and would welcome any feedback or advice.
Thanks
ירי ילדים והפצצת אזרחים דורש אומץ, כמו גם הטרדה מינית של עובדי ההוראה.
- Sok Poupe
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I don't know this place, but if this is truly your experience then you shouldn't hold back. Clearly they're abusing their staff (not paying) and probably their customers by providing crap education. They will continue to do this as long as people are willing to line up to be abused. The only way they might change if they can't get any white faces anymore - because they'll lose customers. Therefore: name and shame, be clear and specific. I think this is one of the few ways that teachers here can actually improve their positions.Jessb52 wrote:I worked there for all of 3 weeks and let's just say I didn't particularly like it but everyone is different. There was someone who had worked there for over a year and she didn't mind the place.
I should've known something was up when; during my interview there were kids who ran into the room, ran right around the desk and the director didn't bat an eyelid! It was only afterwards I realised this was during lesson time as well.....
As I only worked there 3 weeks, I didn't get paid but other staff told me there were often problems with pay eg getting paid late, having money deducted but never really sure why etc, but like I say, I never actually got paid myself so cannot verify this.
As above though, each to their own, you might really enjoy it!
What position was it for, may I ask?
The topic or post you are looking for does not exist.
- vladimir
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Yeah, from employed to supine.Good luck with that. I hope you have a good insurance policy.Sok Poupe wrote:
I don't know this place, but if this is truly your experience then you shouldn't hold back. Clearly they're abusing their staff (not paying) and probably their customers by providing crap education. They will continue to do this as long as people are willing to line up to be abused. The only way they might change if they can't get any white faces anymore - because they'll lose customers. Therefore: name and shame, be clear and specific. I think this is one of the few ways that teachers here can actually improve their positions.
ירי ילדים והפצצת אזרחים דורש אומץ, כמו גם הטרדה מינית של עובדי ההוראה.
My understanding is that it is a poor place to work at. Not an actual international school either. High turnover should always ring an alarm bell, and so should an Admin seemingly too keen on hiring you straight away (unless, of course, you happen to have a truly outstanding CV).
A tree born crooked will never grow straight.
- hanky
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It sounds like a shoddy operation, but I guess they expect teachers to hang around for more than 3 weeks? Perhaps until payday?Jessb52 wrote:I worked there for all of 3 weeks
As I only worked there 3 weeks, I didn't get paid
Who Gives a Fuck?
- vladimir
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Hanky, agree. 3 weeks is kind of short. But if they agreed to pay her on the 30th, and she started on the 10th? And she didn't get paid?
Would you stay on if you didn't get paid? If some other people had told you about this?
If i don't get paid, I leave, end of story. There are no lawyer stories to help me, but there are endless ways I can help other people not to make the same mistake, right?
Would you stay on if you didn't get paid? If some other people had told you about this?
If i don't get paid, I leave, end of story. There are no lawyer stories to help me, but there are endless ways I can help other people not to make the same mistake, right?
ירי ילדים והפצצת אזרחים דורש אומץ, כמו גם הטרדה מינית של עובדי ההוראה.
Yeah, and jess also makes it pretty clear they didn't expect to get paid...
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Thanks for the feedback everybody. I went along to the interview out of curiosity more than anything else and was offered one of two positions - preschool teacher (20x 5 year olds with 1 assistent) or ESL teacher (12x 8-10yr olds, no assistant), starting immediately. The interview process (along with comments received on this forum) confirmed my suspicions. I just didn't get a good "vibe" (e.g. there are signs on the wall warning students that they will be punished if caught using a language other than the official language of the school - English, and there are no western staff or native English speakers working there currently) and decided fairly quickly that Fredfort is not the school for me. Although there were no students there when I was interviewed, it's kind of a depressing environment (dreary, unclean, classroom walls completely covered in scribbles) and strikes me as a school where the kids run riot, and one where profit is valued over and above the education of the children. I may be completely wrong but based on my visit there and comments by others, I have a feeling this school is not one of the better ones (and if is one of the better ones, we're in trouble...!)
I think you've made the right choice. Hopefully you will find something better soon.
A tree born crooked will never grow straight.
- Uncle Monty
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Any chance of a list of the good points of working here? Or am I being a bit too optimistic?
Dictated to a slave and sent by carrier pigeon.
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The hourly rate increased from $9 pre-interview to $10 post-interview for the part-time ESL position, and I'm pretty sure the preschool position was paying $600/month including holidays etc, for 5 mornings a week... which actually seems fairly reasonable. So perhaps the remuneration at Fredfort is in line with other schools in Phnom Penh?
Having not spent any time working at this particular school I'm afraid I can't list any positives, although I'm sure there must be some. The Director came across as an approachable and pleasant man, although I'm basing this on a brief 15 minute 'interview' only and he did try to rush me into making a decision (i.e. needed to know whether or not I would accept one of his two roles within a matter of hours). If anybody has any positive feedback on Fredfort I'd be keen to hear it.
Having not spent any time working at this particular school I'm afraid I can't list any positives, although I'm sure there must be some. The Director came across as an approachable and pleasant man, although I'm basing this on a brief 15 minute 'interview' only and he did try to rush me into making a decision (i.e. needed to know whether or not I would accept one of his two roles within a matter of hours). If anybody has any positive feedback on Fredfort I'd be keen to hear it.
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